Tower Defense X: BETA Loadout Checker
Verify your tower roles before you queue a difficulty.
Use this checklist before starting a Tower Defense X match. For each difficulty, tick off whether your loadout covers every role. Missing one role is the most common reason runs fail even when individual towers are strong.
Pair results with best loadouts for sample rosters and the tier list for which specific towers rank highest in each slot.
Role definitions
| Role | Job in TDX | Example towers |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Cheap wave-one damage until economy spins up | Ranger, Shotgunner, Operator |
| Splash | Multi-hit groups and swarms | Grenadier, Mortar, Cryo Blaster |
| Support (EDJ) | Range, fire rate, and damage buffs to neighbors | EDJ, John (buff path) |
| Medic | Heal towers under boss focus and chip damage | Medic |
| Anti-air | Kill flyers before they bypass ground lanes | Missile Trooper, AA Turret, Patrol Boat |
| Farm | Passive or active cash generation | Farm, Heli |
Easy
Easy teaches pathing and basic upgrades. You can clear with defaults if roles are covered.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Free Ranger or cheap Operator handles opening waves |
| Splash | Optional | Helps on grouped lanes but not mandatory |
| Support (EDJ) | Optional | Nice for faster clears, not required |
| Medic | No | Tower HP rarely threatened |
| Anti-air | If map has air | Check map preview — some Easy maps skip flyers |
| Farm | Optional | Speeds upgrades; one Farm is enough |
Verdict: Bring at least one early DPS and anti-air if the map shows air icons. Add a Farm if you want faster mastery grinding.
Intermediate
Intermediate introduces tougher timing, mixed unit types, and higher upgrade costs. Economy mistakes hurt here.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Operator or Shotgunner for stable open |
| Splash | Recommended | Swarm waves punish single-target only |
| Support (EDJ) | Recommended | Buffs pay off once mid-cost towers land |
| Medic | Optional | Bring if towers sit in shorten range |
| Anti-air | Yes | Air waves become consistent |
| Farm | Yes | At least one income tower before wave 10 |
Verdict: Minimum viable loadout = early DPS + splash + anti-air + Farm. Add EDJ before pushing high-wave mastery.
Elite
Elite sits between Intermediate and Expert. Boss segments and resistances appear more often.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Cheap bait or Ranger upgrades for control |
| Splash | Yes | Required for dense mid-game waves |
| Support (EDJ) | Yes | Boss chunks need buffed single-target |
| Medic | Recommended | Sustained boss DPS destroys unhealed towers |
| Anti-air | Yes | Mixed air/ground bosses |
| Farm | Yes | Two income sources or one maxed Farm path |
Verdict: Treat Elite as Expert practice. If EDJ or anti-air is missing, drop back to Intermediate farm until unlocked.
Expert
Expert is the main skill check: seven bosses, stealth segments, golden resistance, healing drones, and strict DPS checks. See the Fandom Expert page for wave specifics — this checker focuses on roles only.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Cheap stalls and stealth detection helpers |
| Splash | Yes | Clear adds during boss phases |
| Support (EDJ) | Yes | Non-negotiable for Eradicator-style DPS checks |
| Medic | Yes | Multiple Medics or baits plus heals |
| Anti-air | Yes | Drone spawns and air bosses — set weakest targeting |
| Farm | Yes | Economy must peak before final waves |
Verdict: Missing any required row means a near-guaranteed loss. Compare your roster to best loadouts before queueing.
Endless
Endless has no final wave — scaling continues until you wipe. Sustain and scaling DPS matter more than burst.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Rebuild after leaks |
| Splash | Yes | Infinite swarms stack |
| Support (EDJ) | Yes | Stack buffs for late scaling |
| Medic | Yes | Repair costs explode without heals |
| Anti-air | Yes | Air mix increases over time |
| Farm | Yes | Continuous income upgrades |
Verdict: Endless rewards maxed meta towers from the tier list. Run Expert reliably first.
Nightmare
Nightmare modifiers punish lazy placement and under-leveled towers. Assume hard counters to whatever worked in Expert.
| Role | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early DPS | Yes | Flexible cheap units for modifier-specific open |
| Splash | Yes | Mandatory for density |
| Support (EDJ) | Yes | Multiple buff sources if perks allow |
| Medic | Yes | Modifiers increase tower damage taken |
| Anti-air | Yes | Often combined with speed or shield enemies |
| Farm | Yes | Max income paths; slow open equals loss |
Verdict: Nightmare is endgame. Only queue when Expert clears are consistent and your core DPS towers are maxed on both paths you plan to use.
Quick self-audit
Ask before every queue:
- Does this map spawn air or stealth? If yes, anti-air and detection are locked in.
- Do I have income online before the first pressure spike?
- Where does EDJ sit relative to my two most expensive DPS tiles?
- Can Medic reach towers that tank the boss?
If any answer is no, fix the gap or drop one difficulty tier. Legitimate progress beats repeated wipes — and stays safer than scripts on your main account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
What is the most common missing role on Expert?
EDJ support and Medic sustain. Players max DPS towers but forget buffs and heals, then lose towers during Eradicator or drone phases. Add EDJ and Medics before upgrading a fourth DPS tower.
Can I skip Farm on lower difficulties?
On Easy, yes for a first clear. From Intermediate onward, skipping Farm slows upgrades enough that mid-game waves overrun you. One Farm early is cheaper than replaying ten failed runs.
Does Operator replace early DPS?
Operator is an excellent early DPS and economy bridge once unlocked. Until then, Ranger and Shotgunner cover the role. Check the tier list for path recommendations.